Midwinter Wars
by domsdirtysecret
Summary: Kel's friends convince her to take part in a snowball fight, where she meets Dom. K/D written for Goldenlake's SMACKDOWN
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Everything recognizable is Tamora Pierce's**

"Kel! Kel!" There was loud knocking on her door. Ignoring it, Kel continued to read her book. It was midwinter and it was the first day off the pages had this year; she fully intended to spend it relaxing. The knocking continued persistently. Sighing, Kel put her book down and headed for the door. Before she reached it, Neal, Merric, Owen, and Seaver poured into her room.

"Kel," Owen gasped. "We need you to have a snowball fight. Three teams of two!"

Looking at the boys, she shook her head. "There are only five of us. Play two on two, you guys."

"No, my cousin's in! He's meeting us outside. Come on Kel, we need you!" Neal pleaded, pulling her out the door as she hastily grabbed her jacket and gloves.

"Who's your cousin, Neal?" Kel asked, allowing herself to be pulled outside into the courtyard. The area was blanketed with snow, with a handsome young man strolling toward them.

"Domitan of Masbolle, at your service milady," the man bowed to her, capturing her eyes with his own startling sapphire orbs.

To Kel's horror, she felt a flush creep to her face. She noticed a badge on his arm, marking him a sergeant of the King's Own. She remembered the group of men who had witnessed her almost being thrown from her horse in jousting practice in her first year, and she recognized him from the audience that had included Lord Raoul. _Great. Good first impression for the beautiful stranger._

"Hey now," Owen looked affronted. "Don't treating her all girl-like."

Dom responded with a dazzling smile and winked at Kel. "But she _is_ girl."

Thankfully Neal drew everyone's attention away from her deepening blush. "Owen will be with Kel, Merric with Seaver, and I'll be with Dom. Let's start making our forts!"

As people started looking around the courtyard for the best places to set up fort, Neal's cousin objected. "Why do I get stuck with you, Meathead?"

Seaver and Merric had run off to the left to start building their fort, but Kel and Owen shared an amused expression at Neal's family nickname.

"Well who else would you want be with?" Neal snapped.

Turning his sapphire eyes to Kel, the sergeant grinned mischievously. "Lady Keladry of course!" Without warning, he took Kel's hand, slid her glove off, and kissed her fingertips.

Owen looked shocked. Neal just rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Owen come on, Merric and Seaver have a head start!" They both ran off to the right, to the opposite side of where Merric and Seaver had the base of a fort prepared.

"Well, where should we go?" Kel was uncertain how to address this man who was still holding her hand. He pointed to the back of the courtyard with his other hand, indicating they should go straight back, causing them to be in the middle of the other two teams.

"We'll be a disadvantage, though" he warned her.

"We'll build a really good fort," she suggested as they started their way towards their spot. "With side walls for defense."

"And privacy," he added, blue-eyes twinkling.

_Oh my_, she thought. _This could be fun! Or exceptionally awkward…_


	2. Chapter 2

With their large, three-sided fort built, Kel began to rapidly build up their ammunition. As she hastily formed a stack of snowballs, Dom was sketching some plans on the ground between them. He was giving suggestions for defensive strategy in the event that the other two groups aggressively attacked from both sides.

"Do we really need all this preparation for a snowball fight?" She whispered. Dom stopped his defensive planning to meet her eyes. Her stomach flip-flopped but she forced herself to maintain eye contact.

"Keladry, this isn't a _snowball fight_. It's _war_."

"Right…" She returned her focus to building ammunition supplies.

Dom peered around his side of the fort. "They have been done their forts for a while. I think they're up to something," he whispered, kneeling next to Kel so their legs were touching.

"Well of course they are. We _are_ at war." Kel laughed at his expression of mock-shock as he hastily began helping her make snowballs.

"Need more. Gotta have more. Not enough. More more more," Dom was muttering to himself.

Kel tossed a snowball at the side of his head. "Now there's one less," she whispered, biting the inside of her cheek to keep her serious expression.

Dom wiped the wet from his face with the back of a gloved hand. "No fair!" he hissed. "I'm on your team! I'm supposed to be able to trust you." He glared at her, but there was humor in his eyes.

"Well, then I shall earn back your trust by following you unquestioningly in your attempt to take victory in this Great Midwinter War," she teased, bowing awkwardly from her kneeling position. _Gods, am I flirting with him?_ She felt her face flush at her uncharacteristic behavior. Why did it seem like she was blushing a lot that day?

Dom looked thoughtful. "In that case, let's head out for surprise attack! We'll go for Seaver and Merric head-on!" He scooped up an armful of snowballs and made to stand up.

She gripped his shoulder, keeping him down in the protected area of their fort. "But that's a suicide mission! Neal and Owen will pelt us! We'll have no defense!"

"You vowed to follow me unquestioningly," he reminded her, grinning.

Sighing, she scooped up her own armful of ammunition and followed close behind him as he crept around their protective wall.

When they were halfway to Merric and Seaver's fort, Kel and Dom were under major attack, with four sets of arms throwing snowballs relentlessly. Kel and Dom quickly threw what they carried, but were at an obvious disadvantage. Most of their attempts hit the protective forts, and they quickly ran back under the protection of their own. Dom let her run in front of him so he could protect her back from the continuing assault.

"Maybe that wasn't well thought-out," Dom panted, as he collapsed next to her behind their fort.

Kel giggled and threw her soaking gloves at him. She took a quick look around her wall. Seeing no oncoming assault, she laid down on her back with her arms above her head. "Really? If only someone had mentioned that before we left!" Dom rolled his eyes and peeled of his own gloves. She watched him run his fingers through his black hair, pushing his wet locks from his face. She looked up at the sky before he caught her staring.

"What are you complaining for? You are no way as wet as I am." He lay down next to her, propping himself up on his elbow.

"Well, that's only fair, considering it was you that-"

Suddenly Dom's hands were on her shoulders, pinning her to the ground. Having been successfully taken by surprise, Kel forgot what she had been talking about. She was lost in his blue eyes, for she-didn't-know how long.

Water dripped from his hair onto her face. He gently brushed it away with his fingertips. Her breath quickened, and she was sure that her fellow pages would be able to hear her heartbeat from across the courtyard. The flirtatious twinkle in his eyes was replaced by something quite different; her skin burning everywhere their bodies were making contact.

She was fully aware of the contrast of the cold snowy ground on her back, and the heavy warmth of his body resting over her. He shifted so his weight rested on his elbows, which were on either side of her face; his eyes never left hers.

He seemed hesitant. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, signaling that it was okay. He smiled and leaned down, covering her cold lips with his own.


	3. Chapter 3

Kel moved her hands up to tangle her fingers in Dom's wet hair. When he moved to lift his head away, she held him firmly in place. She felt him smile against her lips before he resumed kissing her.

There were sudden shouts, battle cries, and thumping noises as packed snow made contact with victims. Kel jumped a little in shock, remembering that they were outside in the middle of a snowball fight. There were cheers and whoops as a victor was evidently declared.

Dom calmly rolled off her and stood up. He held a hand out to help her up. She ignored it, getting up on her own. She brushed off her back and legs while he shrugged and strolled over to the center of the courtyard to join the others and discover the outcome.

When Kel felt she was suitably brushed off, she slowly made her way to the gathering as well. Owen and Neal were high-fiving, while Merric sat on the ground looking defeated and Seaver was complaining to Dom about Neal's tactics. Avoiding Dom's eyes, she announced that she was ready for a hot bath and was going to her rooms.

As she headed for the doors, she heard Neal ask in exasperation, "what are _you _smiling like that for? You _lost_. I mean _really_ lost, Dom."

Kel felt her cheeks burn, but she slowed her pace to hear Dom's reply. "No, you are wrong as usual Meathead. I really don't think I did lose. I'm actually quite certain that I won."

She smiled, feeling her stomach do the familiar flip-flops that it used to do when she was with Neal. As she entered the palace, she thought Dom's response over in her mind. She also considered his rank in the Own; he would know how to command, and was probably a good strategist. It seemed unlikely that he really thought their crazy attack on Merric and Seaver would be successful.

Picturing Dom's mischievous eyes and playful smile, she wondered if maybe he hadn't planned the outcome all along.

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_**A/N I was originally going to end it here, but I had requests to keep going, so I did! Please review what you like/don't like!**_


	4. Chapter 4

After her bath, Kel went back to her bed and tried to get lost in her book once again. Unable to concentrate, she threw it down next to her in defeat. She raised her fingers to her lips, remembering the feel of Dom's mouth warming her in the chill winter air.

Feeling restless, she got up and left her room. She needed to talk to somebody who would get her mind off Dom. The hallway was uncharacteristically quiet. Most of the pages had used the afternoon off to head downtown. She passed the rows of shut doors, hearing voices only from Neal's room.

She raised her fist to knock, holding it still in the air when she heard Dom's voice arguing from within. "It's really none of your business; I thought you'd be happy for me. For the both of us. She's your _friend_, Meathead."

"A _close_ friend actually," Neal replied icily. Kel lowered her hand, shocked by his tone. Neal was really angry about something. She turned to leave until she heard Dom's reply.

"Kel can go the ball tonight if she wants to. It's the first time the pages don't have to serve at the banquet, so she's free tonight. I _will_ ask her.I do _not_ need your blessing." Kel heard footsteps moving toward the door, but she couldn't force herself to walk away. Her legs were like heavy stone, trapping her in place. Dom wanted to ask _her_ to the ball?

"You don't. But Kel will." Kel almost rolled her eyes at his confidence. But he was right, she knew. Her friendship with Neal was too important to let anything come between them. Especially a romantic interest with someone she had recently met. And had a snowball fight with. And kissed.

She watched the doorknob as it turned. "If that's how she feels, I will respect her decision. But it is _her_ choice. Not yours." Kel quickly made her face carefully blank as Dom swung the door open. He stopped abruptly, his sapphire eyes meeting hers in shock. A grin slowly spread to his face. "Just who I wanted to see. But what are you doing down here in this lowly end of the hallway? Certainly there's better company to be found than an over-reactive Meathead?"

Kel tried to keep her Yamani mask in place, but she could feel the color rise in her cheeks. She wasn't sure how much she should let on that she had heard.

Dom made it easy for her. "Kel, I wanted to ask you to the ball tonight. I know you're usually busy and don't get much time to just go out and have some fun." His eyes were twinkling at the possibilities.

"And I suppose there's _nobody_ else she can be with and _nothing_ else she can do but go to the ball with _you_," Neal drawled. Kel searched her friend's face. He sounded casually sarcastic, but she could tell he was furious. Rage was burning in his eyes, making them deep emerald.

Turning back to Dom, she hesitated, trying to choose her words carefully. "I'd love to go with you Dom. Really I would. But Neal…" she bit her lip, thinking. She wanted him to understand. "I just can't do something that will make him so uncomfortable. I'm sorry."

The twinkle disappeared from Dom's eyes. The pain in his eyes made her stomach clench. But he gave her a small smile as he nodded to her. "Well I'll leave you two to catch up then," the responded cheerfully. If she hadn't been studying his eyes so carefully, she would have thought he was okay. He walked around her and disappeared down the hall.

"Well now that that's out of the way," Neal sighed and plopped down on his bead. He pulled a candy bar out from under his pillow and began to peal it open. "Sorry about him. I had no idea he would try to pull that with you."

"Pull _what _with me exactly?"

Neal gave her a funny look. "He kissed you, Kel. He told me."

"I know. I was there."

He stuffed the candy bar into his mouth, looking thoughtful as he chewed. "You're mad," he accused.

"I'm not anything, Neal."

He searched her eyes; she kept her Yamani mask perfectly in place. "Did you come here for something?" he asked, trying to get her to open up. Change her expression. Say _something_.

"No. I think I'll just be going." She turned to the door and strode out.


	5. Chapter 5

Kel was lying on her stomach on her bed, book open in front of her. She held that position throughout the afternoon, into the evening. She ignored her protesting stomach when suppertime came to pass. She glared at her book as the sunlight faded and her room grew dark. Slamming her book shut, she finally sat up, wincing at the cramps in her back and arms.

She had ignored the knocks on her door as Owen and Merric returned from shopping at the markets. She had ignored Seaver when he came looking to go to supper with her. She tried to tell herself she was caught up in her book. Although she hadn't turned a single page throughout the day…

She was searching through her crate of fruit when there was a soft knock on her door. The normal obnoxious banging her friends deemed appropriate to get her attention. "Kel?" Neal called quietly. "Please let me in?"

She grabbed an apple and unlocked the door. She opened it slowly, moving back to sit on her bed without looking at him.

"Gods Kel, don't be like this! You never avoid people."

She gave him a black stare as she took a bite from her apple.

Taking this as a sign to continue, Neal went on. "Look, I came here to tell you that I think you should go to the ball with Dom. It's just… the thought of the two of you… and he has such a reputation…" Kel raised her eyebrows as she took another bite. "Well, I know most of it's unjustified; the men of the Own have ways of exaggerating," Neal admitted. "He's a good guy, really. And… I think he would really like you when he gets to know you."

She swallowed. "So you think I should go to the ball. Now." She rolled her eyes. "Neal, it's already _started._ I don't even have anything to wear. There's not enough time, it would be over before I'd be ready."

"I'm really sorry, Kel. You were being a good friend and I was…"

Kel smiled at his sincerity. "Being an over-reactive Meathead?"

Neal sat next to her on the bed. "So no ball?"

"No ball. I think I'll go for a walk. I need to get out of this room."

Neal stood as she put her coat on. "I'd grace you with my presence, but I have a study session in the library awaiting my attention."

At her questioning look, he elaborated. "Some friends of mine at the university are going to discuss some philosophy."

She smiled as they made their way out to the hall and parted ways. "Have fun studying for fun!" she called after him. He waved and she turned to make her way to the courtyard where they had had their snowball fight that morning.

She made her way into the dark courtyard, the snow glistening with a dream-like quality in the moonlight. She made her way over to a bench, sitting down and crossing her arms to get warm. Looking across the apparently empty courtyard, she found her thoughts drifting to Dom, and when she would see him again. Would he ask her to dinner? Or did her rejection turn him off of her. He was probably at the ball with some petite court lady at this very moment…

She sighed, knowing she was feeling sorry for herself. She was considering running up to her room to grab her glaive; practice always cleared her mind. But she didn't want her mind cleared just yet. Just a few more moments of envisioning twinkling blue eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Suddenly her face stung with the impact of compressed snow thrown at her. Gasping in shock, she wiped the snow from her eyes, trying to see who was around.

"Now we're even," Dom's friendly voice startled her; he sat next to her on the bench, brushing her wet hair from her face.

Kel's heartbeat quickened at the contact, but she forced herself to meet his gaze. "Even? What did I ever do to you?"

"You hit me when we were on the same team, remember?"

"But I thought we were even when you had me follow you foolishly into an ambush that had us eliminated."

"Oh yeah…" Dom's eyes widened as she bent down to grab a fistful of snow. "You wouldn't."

"I need to make us even," she replied, calmly packing the snow into a tight ball.

"But I'm sitting right next to you! That's hardly f-" he was cut off by her pushing the snow straight into his face. She rubbed it in gently, chuckling at his squeals of protest.

"Are we even now?" he mumbled, wiping his face.

"Almost. I still owe you one thing."

He inched away from her, reaching the end of the bench. He was watching her warily. "And what is that?"

In one swift moment she closed the gap between them, throwing her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. It took him only one startled moment to begin responding to her kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her snuggly against him.

When they pulled apart, she could see the twinkle back in his eyes. "Neal came and talked to me…" she began. He was kissing her neck; it was very distracting.

"I know," he murmured into her ear. He pulled back, grinning at her. "He came to me too. Said I was welcome to 'woo you to the best of my charming abilities' or some such. I wanted to go find you, but he said he wanted to see you first."

"So you are going to 'woo me' are you?" Kel didn't know what to expect from this man. He seemed so unpredictable. So _charming_. So…

"Mmhmm," he murmured, nuzzling his face back into her neck. "But you are quite unusual." She shivered as she felt his tongue flick behind her ear. "Nothing like flakey court ladies. I must admit ignorance as to how to properly seduce a lady knight-in-training."

He kissed her jaw, her chin, and finally her lips. She parted her lips, allowing him to explore her mouth. She shivered when his tongue brushed against hers, and she proceeded to penetrate his mouth were her own tongue. She dug her fingers in his hair and his hands stroked her back as he deepened the kiss. They continued until they reluctantly had to part for the biological need for air.

"Well," Kel panted, breathless. "That is certainly a good start."

Dom jumped, whooping as he punched the air. His reaction startled Kel so much she jumped up after him. "One point for Dom!" He hollered into the empty courtyard.

He grinned as her shocked expression transformed into her expressionless mask. _Hmmm_, she thought. _Way to ruin the moment. Maybe he has too much Neal in him_.

Dom shattered her doubts by pulling her in for another kiss. And another. And another. They stood there until couples were cutting through the courtyard on their way home from the ball.

With his arms around her waist, and her arms around his neck, she smiled up at him. "Two points for Dom," she said quietly.

He grinned at her, holding an arm up to escort her back to her rooms. She looked at it thoughtfully. "We're back to one point for Dom," She informed him.

"What?! Why? Do you not want to be escorted?"

"No, I would not like to be _escorted_. I would however, not mind sharing a walk back to my rooms, enjoying company as _equals_."

Dom was silent, looking thoughtful. He dropped his arm and nodded slowly. "Okkaayyy. I can do that."

They walked together to the palace door. They reached the door at the same time; she pulled it open and held it for him, indicated he should go first. He did, catching on quickly.

"Two points for Dom?" He looked hopeful.

She nodded, trying to hold back her laughter as shut the door behind her. He took her hand so they were walking down the halls with interlocking fingers. "Three points for Dom," this time he was more confident.

By the time they made it to her room, they had lost track of Dom's seduction points. They stopped outside of her door while she turned the key in her lock. Curious pages were glancing their way, wondering what Kel was doing with a sergeant from the King's Own.

As Kel pushed her door open, Neal popped his head out of his room and called down the hall. "Don't even think about going in there Dom!"

"You are _supposed_ to be okay with this now!" He yelled back, gaining the full attention of the shameless on-looking pages in the hall.

"But it's still _weird_," Neal retorted.

"Fine. I will do it here then." Dom grinned mischievously at Kel. Before she could stop him, he was kissing her passionately in the hallway, to wolf-whistles and cheers. "Goodnight Kel," he whispered in her ear. "Midwinter luck."

"Midwinter luck," she replied. He kissed her quickly again on the lips, and then strolled his way toward the Own's barracks.

Noticing the attention she was getting from their spectators, she quickly went into her room and locked her door behind her. Sighing, she collapsed into bed without changing her clothes. She dreamed of snowball fights and sapphires.

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**_A/N Please review! I would love to know if people are actually reading!_**


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Kel held her head up and ignored the whispered looks she was receiving in the mess hall. _It's like first year all over again_, she sighed. At least Joren was gone; that was an improvement from first year. She looked around, finding a grumpy-looking Neal already sitting down with his tray.

"Morning, Neal," she smiled, elbowing him in his side.

Passing her a note, he grumbled, "t'was on my door." She opened it carefully, initially confused by the unfamiliar, loopy writing.

_So sorry, but we are in a hurry. Meathead's door was closer, so I left this note there._

_We got called out in the night, I don't think we should be gone __too__ long._

_Reach me at:_

_Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle_

_Third Company of the King's Own_

_Port Caynn, Tortall_

_Dom_

Slowly, Kel folded the note and slipped it into her pocket. Trying to mask her disappointment, she began to eat.

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**A/N: Ok, I have a habit of writing my chapters out of order. I wrote the next one before I wrote this, but figured I needed some filler… there was too much of a gap… so I wrote this one. Make sense? I even have my real A/N in the next one. So move on to the next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Okay, this is for everyone who has this on story alert and asking me to continue… even though it was only supposed to be a one-shot when I first began! Look how it evolved! _

_I would like to thank_** SarahE7191**_ for letting me borrow her pretty _,.-''-.,.-''-.,. _border! I stole it from her _Keladry Warrior Goddess_ with her permission._

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The room was silent as the pages worked on various homework assignments. Their study group had fewer punishments for incomplete work since they stopped their bully-patrols, but their workload was still substantial. Exams were fast-approaching.

With Joren and his cronies off with their knight-masters, and Kel's group getting so large, abuse of first-years was almost non-existent. So when Kel left the library, most of her friends were unconcerned. However, Neal noticed that Kel wore a particularly fitted dress this evening. Although he knew Kel was not leaving to patrol for bullies, he was suspicious. She would know that Dom's squad had returned that morning after a few months of duty. He had noticed the stack of letters on her desk in his cousin's handwriting, thinking it sweet how they had kept in touch.

Neal's suspicions were confirmed as he followed her out of the Pages' wing; she was going in the direction of the Own's quarters. Catching up with her, he grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed. "If you get caught-"

"Actually my orders from my Lord Wyldon were to keep a professional relationship with my fellow pages," she retorted, keeping her expression carefully guarded by her Yamani mask. "He said nothing about pursuing other relations. Besides, you boys get see-"

"And since when is the Stump fair to you, Kel? Just because we can sneak off-"

"I'm not sneaking off!" Shaking her arm free, she turned on her heal.

Taking long strides, Neal kept pace with her. "I'm coming with you. And if you send me back, I'll test your theory as to whether the Stump would include sergeants in his category of things that will send you home."

Stopping abruptly, Kel turned to look up at him; her hazel eyes were wide. "Neal, you wouldn't," she whispered.

"Well, since when do I side with the Stump?" he drawled, crossing his arms. "But I really am coming with you. I haven't seen him since Midwinter either! Do you even know where he lives?"

"He'd be with the Own, which is this way…" her uncertainty was evident, and Neal allowed himself a smug grin.

"Come on," he sighed, leading the way.

She followed him to the King's Own wing, which was deserted other than a very large man walking towards them. "Evening, Pages," he greeted.

"My Lord," Kel and Neal both bowed in unison.

"Now, now, Raoul will be fine, please. Lord makes me sound old," he waved at them as he kept walking past.

Neal chuckled as he straightened. Kel eyed him as she stood up as well. "He's… friendly," she observed.

Holding back a chuckle, Neal nodded. "Dom speaks very highly of him," he said quietly, knocking on his cousin's door. Without waiting for a response, he turned the handle and pushed the door open, strolling in.

"Neal!" Kel cried.

"What?" confused, Neal turned back to take in her horrified expression. "He's my cousin…"

"But not _mine_. What if he was… you know..."

"I'm not naked, if that's what you're afraid of," Dom joined Neal in the doorway. "And would it really be so bad if I was? I mean… I've never had a lady complain before…" he was cut off as Neal elbowed him in the stomach.

Kel looked down at her feet as her cheeks flushed. She remained silent while Neal shoved Dom from the doorway.

"Ow!"

Forgetting about Kel, Neal started beating Dom with a pillow as he curled up in a ball on his bed, holding his arms up in defense. "Honestly, how-did-I-get-the name-Meathead," Neal beat Dom with every word for emphasis. "When _you_ are so _tactless_ you can make _Kel_ blush!" Neal threw the pillow on the floor as Dom slowly sat up.

Dom's eyes were over-bright with tears of laughter as he turned to see Kel step inside. He patted the bed next to him, smiling up at her. Neal stepped back, watching as she gingerly joined Dom on the bed. They were sitting so close that their legs were touching. She smiled up at him; her cheeks still a little pink. He bent down and kissed her, his arms sneaking around her waist. Reaching up, her hands clasped behind his neck.

"Do you guys have to do that while I'm right _here_?" Neal leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "Good thing you have supervision," he muttered.

"We'd rather we didn't," Kel retorted, not taking her eyes away from Dom; her face was unreadable.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere!" Neal bent down to pick up the pillow he had thrown on the ground earlier. He tossed it at the kissing couple.

"You can watch then," Dom muttered, pulling Kel down on the bed. On her back, Neal could no longer see her face. Was she surprised? Angry? Dom was leaning over her, blocking his view. Neal was hesitant to move closer. Dom was kissing her, and she didn't seem to be fighting him.

Silently, Neal edged his way to the door. "I'm going to leave now…" he slipped out, locking the door behind him. _Nobody_ needed to see that…

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Thank you to all of my reviewers, I appreciate all of your feedback! And now I'm taking an idea that one of my favorite author's does… and I'm going to try doing review replies! Credit for this idea goes to **Brandi Heir**, because I love when she does this. (Brandi, I hope you don't mind that I'm taking your idea? I'll edit ASAP if you do!)

**CaliGirl Alice-Molly **– He does move fast! But then again, it _is_ Dom, lol. And I don't think Kel would mind. I know _I_ wouldn't mind if Dom started kissing on me.

**Jolly-Lass** – Thank you, I'm so happy you liked it :) I like when Kel is seen as a girl; mostly through her page/squire years everyone views her as one of the boys (except Cleon). I think if Dom met her as a Page, he would still be flirty with her like he is in Squire, although they do have an age difference.

**Brandi Heir** – Thank you so much! *tingles* that was a beautiful review! I'm happy you loved it. This is probably my favorite work; but that might be because it's my first attempt at K/D so I'm biased :p

**MorbidPlague** – I absolutely had no plans to continue this. It was done. But here's another chapter getting added, and there will probably be more to come…

**Modern Lady Knight** – I think it's cute too! It started as a playful little one-shot with minor K/D. I'm happy it evolved to put Kel in the romantic situation :)

**Untold Story** – I know, Neal can be so infuriating. But that's part of the character that is Neal :D

******MissjuliaMiriam**- I was going to end the story after the last chapter… but your review in particular brought my interest back to this; giving me smutty plot-bunnies. Are we allowed to post lemons on ? There's limits to even M-rated stories isn't there? Now you got my wheels turning in my head ;) I want to write one now.

**cutegixie** – Neal always ruins things… He's the perfect character for it! And of course Kel wouldn't get back at Dom in a traditional way ;)

**youjustgotSTORMed**- Thank you so much! I know I just sent you a private reply, but I just loved your review so much! :D And I was actually going to edit the candy bar, but then I didn't. I don't _think_ my negligent inconsistency ruins the story, although now it bothers me every time I read it… I probably will change it eventually.

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_A/N: I really REALLY didn't edit this very well, because I wanted to post it for you, and now I'm off to watch the hockey game, which is starting now. So tomorrow, I'll come back and look it over. Any suggestions and feedback would be very much appreciated!_


	9. Chapter 9

Ok, so this is sort of a fake chapter, but SUPER important. I looked into the rules/ratings for this site, and apparently this chapter would have to be rated as 'Ma' on this site, which is not allowed. I'm sorry; I'm just so paranoid about getting my account suspended, and this is such a fun fic that I don't want to make my rating 'M' which would scare away some readers. So this is my idea.

For those of you who want the last chapter to 'fade away into black' like in the movies, just proceed on to the next chapter. Chapter 9 is in no way important to the storyline, so skip it if you want.

For those of you who want to read my 'Ma' rated Dom/Kel fun time, I posted this chapter on The King's Own Archives (I'm domluvr) at this link (without the spaces...in order for the link to post I had to put spaces in):

http : / / www . thekingsown . org / viewstory . php ?sid=1557&textsize=0&chapter=9

The King's Own uses a different rating system, and this is classified as A for adult.

Because of the A-rating, I think you might need to be a member of The King's Own to access it, but I'm not sure. If this is true and if you don't want to join, or if you are having trouble getting the chapter, or if the link isn't working, PM me and I can send chapter 9 to you if you want. I can copy-and-paste the chapter into PM or email it as an attachment, whatever you want. No big deal, right?

Sorry for the confusion, but I haven't read any K/D smutty goodness so I wanted to write some, and **MissjuliaMiriam **really inspired me to do it! And I'm a wimp that's afraid of rules. :p


	10. Chapter 10

After taking a moment to relax, Kel sat up reluctantly. "I have to go," her stomach pitted with regret. "The others are still at the library… and I have-"

"I understand," Dom interrupted, sitting up so he could wrap his arms around her. Squeezing her tightly, he kissed the top of her head. "You crazy pages are kept busy. And you wouldn't want any rumors starting about you on _my_ account." He pulled back, grinning wickedly.

Kel shook her head as she stood up, looking around for her clothes. "_Started_. Right. You kissing me in the hall before you left with the Own, in front of everyone, didn't do that at _all_." She pulled her dress over her head, pulling the laces tight behind her.

Dom watched her, concern filling his sapphire eyes. "_Did_ I cause you problems?" He stood up, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly against him.

Sighing, she leaned her head on his bare chest, thinking about his question. Her friends _had _teased her. But no more than they did Neal, when he dedicated a new round of poetry to his current infatuation. Clasping her hands behind his neck, she pulled his head down for a kiss. "No problems," she murmured, running her hands along his chest. "But I really do have to go."

Pulling back, Dom slung an arm around her as he led her to the door. "Well, then, my lady, it is time for you to take your leave. I shall see you soon." He pulled open the door, stepping aside to allow her to pass.

"Dom," she hissed, feeling her face flush as she quickly looked out at the deserted hall. "You aren't _clothed_."

"That's fine. I think I shall go to bed."

Chuckling, she kissed him on the cheek before hurrying back to the library.

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The following evening, Kel was pleasantly surprised to see her old friend Cleon sitting among the squires in the mess. She waved at him, watching his face light up as he waved back. Smiling, she set her food tray on the table as she sat next to Neal. The Stump had just finished an inspiring prayer about punctuality when she was gathering her food.

"Hey!" Neal greeted, his mouth full of cake. Swallowing hastily, he grinned at her. "Did you see it snowing outside?"

"No, I try to pay attention to my lessons, Neal, not gaze out the window." She lifted his extra helping of dessert from his tray, placing it out of his reach. "Eat your vegetables before you stuff yourself with cake," she scolded.

Ignoring her, Neal grinned around at the rest of their friends. Owen was grinning back, but Merric and Seaver were too busy shoveling food in their mouths to notice.

"Isn't it a bit _late_ for snow?" Kel asked, taking a bite of her own supper. "The examinations are coming up soon."

"It's not unheard of," Neal shrugged.

"It's going to snow all night!" Owen put in. "But it's so warm, it'll be all sticky… perfect for another snowball fight!"

"We decided on a rematch," Neal continued. "Since _some_ people are argumentative over the specifics of the last match." Merric glared at him, but continued to eat in silence.

Kel chuckled until Seaver shot her a glare of his own. "Is Dom up for it?" she asked quickly.

Neal nodded emphatically. "And he wants to bring a friend; Cleon wants in on it too."

Swallowing her overlarge mouthful, Kel shook her head. "How long have you been planning this? Like…"

"You don't have punishment duty tomorrow, do ya Kel?" Owen interrupted. As she shook her head, he gave a little bounce in his seat. "Oh this'll be jolly then! We're meeting at first bell tomorrow, same courtyard!"

"Two teams of four," Neal put in. "Come on, we have to work on our homework now, if we want to have all day tomorrow!" He stood up, his tray already empty. The others followed him, taking their trays to the cleaners.

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A/N: So there will be one or two more chapters, it depends on how they come out I guess. I figured, it all started with a snowball fight, it should end with one!

Review replies (an idea 'borrowed' from Brandi Heir):

**Kallipop**: Thank you! I'm happy you liked it :)

**MissjuliaMiriam**: So… I did it! I'm sorry I'm a major wimp, but I did post it _somewhere_ and the point is I wrote it! I never would have if you hadn't mentioned it… I actually never would have thought of it, probably. It was fun! And I'm happy you and Brandi liked the D/K/N interaction… I was trying desperately to keep them in character… but they were never in a scenario like that in the books, so it's hard to say.

**Brandi Heir**: Your reviews make me happy. :D And as I'm typing this, I got an email popping up saying that you updated No Music, No Life! So! I'm going to post this, and when I have time, I am going to rush to my computer like a crazy person to read your update! But I need a lot of time to read, analyze, and give it the amazing review I already know it deserves. :)


	11. Chapter 11

Kel gripped her cloak around her, hurriedly locking her door as she held a stale roll in her teeth. Taking her scanty breakfast from her mouth, she rushed down the hall, smacking into Neal as she turned the corner near the mess hall. He gripped her elbows as they both staggered, trying to regain their balance.

"Kel!" he exclaimed. "I was just going to get you! The courtyard doesn't have a lot of snow, so we're using the garden by the forest. We all ate and-"

"I had to get _ready_ Neal," Kel interrupted, her mouth full with an impolitely large bite of food.

Neal's eyebrows shot up as he ran his eyes over her, taking in her appearance. She looked… different. She was wearing breeches, a warm cloak and gloves; all practical for their upcoming match. But they were strangely fashionable; her boots were much like the ones that ladies wore when they had to go downtown in the winter. And her hair was pinned back, giving the short cut a feminine look. "You, uh, look good," he stammered, watching her blush as she stuffed the remainder of the roll into her mouth.

"Thanks," Kel mumbled, spraying him with bread crumbs.

Wiping his face, he allowed himself to be pulled down the hall as she ushered him along. "I mean… it looks like you didn't try too hard, but-"

"Shut up, Neal."

She stared carefully ahead, avoiding his sideways glance at her. "Dom's seen you at training before," he said as if making conversation. "You don't have to impress him just because you two, you know…"

"_Neal!_" Kel stopped walking, crossing her arms as she glared at him. "I'm not _trying _to impress him! Did it ever _occur _in your _thick_ head that _maybe_ I just _want_ to look nice?"

Hearing their voices, Owen popped his head in from a door that led to one of the gardens. "Hey! You guys are here! That's…oh." Observing their frustrated expressions, he backed out of the hallway to the garden.

"Come on," Kel muttered, heading toward the door. Looking back at him, she was relieved to see he was following her. "It's not him, Neal. It's just… I haven't met any of his friends before…"

They stood before the closed door, facing each other. "You're intimidated by his _friend_?" Neal looked like he was about to laugh, but thought better of it.

"_Yes_!" she hissed. "I _know_ how you boys talk. Honestly you're all worse than gossiping women!"

Looking thoughtful, Neal shrugged in acceptance. "Well, I wish you would have said something earlier," he smirked, pulling the door open. "You'll really be intimidated when you see who it is."

Kel squinted in the post-dawn light, following Neal into the garden. The outskirts of the forest ran along side it, providing a much bigger ground to host this match. Raising her arm to block the sunlight, which was reflecting blindingly on the fresh blanket of snow, she looked around to see if everyone else was there. Before she could observe anything, strong arms were wrapped around her waist as she was pummeled with kisses. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling as Dom pulled back from his enthusiastic greeting. "Nice to see you too, Dom," she breathed, earning her another round of kisses on her forehead, cheeks, nose, and lips.

There was a cough as someone cleared their throat beside her. Grinning, she pulled back to see her friends watching her awkwardly, as well as a large man with piercing dark eyes and tight brown curls. His muscular arms were crossed over his chest as he watched her with apparent interest.

"_Lord Raoul!_" she squeaked, looking up at Dom. She straightened up to maintain her composure; she had been expecting to meet one of Dom's men. How was she supposed to impress _him_?

He bent down so his lips brushed against her ear. "He'll be joining our team," he murmured. "There's no _way_ we'll lose!" He pumped his fist into the air enthusiastically and high-fived his commander. Lord Raoul was grinning as he held his hand out to Kel in greeting; she grasped his forearm in return, smiling when he didn't test her strength, as so many men did.

"Please to meet you, my Lord," she released his arm.

"Just Raoul, please," he replied, his eyes were twinkling.

Smiling, Kel turned back to Dom. "So we get Lord Raoul and Cleon?"

"No way!" Merric protested, stepping forward. He turned to Neal in frustration, crossing his arms. "Me n'Seaver can't be with _you_ and _Owen_. We need to face off again. Since _last time _-"

"I agree." Neal put in quickly, holding his hands up in defense.

"You just don't want Raoul and me both against you," Dom drawled. "Worried, Meathead?"

Kel laughed as the two cousins stared at each other, eyebrows raised, looking like brothers. "Come on now," she interjected, tugging Dom across the garden. She wanted the sun to be at their backs and in the eyes of her opposing team. "Raoul wants to be with Dom, and I haven't seen Cleon in ages. We'll just call the last match a draw."

Owen was shaking his head energetically as Neal's jaw dropped. "A _draw_? You're only saying that because you so _obviously lost _and -"

"_Enough!_" Raoul boomed, startling everyone except Dom, who was evidently used to it. "I did _not_ wake up this early to hear you all barking about an inconsequential match. Squire Cleon, Page Keladry, Dom, let's prepare." In a few large strides he was already past Kel and Dom, apparently thinking along the same lines with Fort location that Kel had been thinking, with regards to the sun's position. He strode to the far end of the courtyard where the sun would rise behind them and began stuffing snow in a Fort foundation.

Dom grabbed Kel's hand and pulled her after him, as Cleon followed them in silence. Kel turned her head back as she continued toward Raoul's rapidly growing fort. She realized Cleon hadn't said a word yet. He looked up, grinning when their eyes met. Kel sighed in relief; he had always called her those ridiculous pet names… she was beginning to think maybe he was… jealous… of Dom. Shaking her head at her own folly, she knelt down by Raoul to help him with their line of defenses. Cleon was, after all, committed to an arranged marriage.

* * *

Neal crouched down behind their snow-wall. It was sadly lacking compared to the enemy's. Nervous, he peered over the top, squinting in the sun. "I _told _you we shouldn't have built directly across from them!" he hissed at Merric. "We can't see _anything_."

He looked down at Owen and Seaver, who were both hurriedly making ammunition. Turning his eyes back to Merric, he glared. "If I could just add a little of my-"

"No!" Merric insisted, patting the snow on the fort so hard that a chunk fell off. "None of them have the Gift. It isn't fair! That's why last time you didn't _really _win! Just because you _have_ it, I mean, if Kel had her glaive, would you like her using it-"

Neal threw his hands up before gathering more snow to add some strength to their fort. "Okay, okay," he mumbled. "But, Raoul can probably reach over here with his shots," he glanced quickly over the wall again. "And maybe Dom can too," he added reluctantly. His cousin _did_ have a good arm. "There's no way we can win by hiding out here."

Seaver looked up, rubbing his wet hands together to warm them. "What do you suggest?" he whispered. He looked around the fort to observe the other, much larger, fort with anticipation.

"We'll have to leave," Merric said, just as quietly. He nodded over to the edge of the woods near the courtyard. "We could cut through over there, if we can get there without them noticing, then maybe take them by surprise…"

Neal grinned as he pealed off his jacket. Using it as a makeshift bag, he loaded it up with the snowballs Owen and Seaver had made. "This is why we keep you around, Merric."

The others all pulled off their jackets and began loading their ammunition, before the stalked over to the safety of the trees.

* * *

"Excellent. We'll pummel them. We'll _pummel_ them!" Dom was muttering under his breath as he rapidly formed stacks of snowballs. Cleon and Kel were helping him, although he was producing more than the two of them combined. Raoul had finished their _massive_ fort and was off to the side, sketching various plans before rubbing the ground clean and starting over. Cleon had lightened up a great deal, and was joking around with Kel, until Dom glared at them and they refocused to the task at hand.

"How are you so sure?" Cleon asked Dom after a while. He blew on his wet gloves in attempt to warm his fingers.

Dom answered with confidence. "We can hit their fort. There's no _way_ they can reach ours. The best shot would probably be your friend Merric, but I doubt he can throw this far."

Cleon stood up in order to be able to see over their fort wall. Observing the distance between the two forts, he shook his head in agreement. "Merric can't do that."

"They'll know…" Kel murmured.

"Excuse me?" Raoul looked up from his plans on the ground.

"Neal anyway, will know you can reach it. They won't be sitting there waiting…" She stood up next to Cleon, concentrating on the other fort. Her eyes drifted over the garden, resting on the neighboring wood. "Uh oh."

Raoul looked up at her, startled, before crawling to the edge of the wall to look around at the forest. "They wouldn't…"

"It's okay," Dom shrugged, reaching up to untie Kel's cloak. He laid it flat on the ground and began piling all of the snowballs onto it, before folding it up at the corners. He began to drag it along the ground toward the forest. "We'll give them a little surprise."

The others followed him into the forest. Cleon looked surprised when Dom stopped near the edge; Kel was too busy trying not to look cold, with her arms bared to the cold air, to notice Dom looking up at the treetops.

"We'll hide up there and ambush them," Raoul seemed to be agreeing with Dom's unspoken thoughts. Dom was already climbing one of the trees, motioning for Cleon to go up the tree next to him. The cloak full of snowballs was too heavy to drag up. "We'll have to stay down here and throw up their ammunition," Raoul turned to Kel, grinning.

"O-okay," Kel shivered, crossing her arms. She was relieved that they hadn't expected her to climb up there… glancing up at Cleon's height, she winced and looked back down at the ground. A tunic landed on her head; startled, she looked up to see Dom grinning down at her. "Sorry, love," he mouthed. He continued climbing as she pulled the tunic on, smiling at his thoughtfulness. Well, he _did_ take her cloak.

"Shall we just, toss them up, then my Lord?" she whispered as she pulled on Dom's tunic. Raoul nodded silently as he pulled the snowballs from her cloak and began throwing them to Dom. Kel followed his lead, tossing hers to Cleon. It took a few tries and wasted shots to get the hang of it, but soon Cleon and Dom had a stack of ammunition along their surrounding branches. Kel and Raoul began making more when they both heard a snap.

"Shush!" someone whispered.

Kel and Raoul ducked behind a large bush that was between them and the noise. They both began to make snowballs silently as they crouched, waiting.

Soon the snow was crunching on the other side of their bush from footsteps. Raoul scooped up his snowballs, and Kel did the same, watching him. "Surround!" Raoul yelled. His loud voice had the desired effect; the others were so startled that they dropped what they were holding, causing their wet snowballs to splat on the ground. Kel darted to the other side, so Neal, Merric, Owen, and Seaver were between her and Raoul. They were both pelting their ammunition at them as Cleon and Dom bombarded them from above.

Neal cried out, falling to his knees and covered his head with his arms. Owen and Seaver retreated, keeping their chests together so the snow could only hit their backs. Merric was coving his face with one hand and desperately reaching through his crushed snowballs in attempt to fight back.

Having run out of her own snowballs, Kel looked up to see Dom and Cleon still had stacks of ammunition around them. "It's over!" She called. "Surrender!"

Neal threw his hands up in defeat. Owen and Seaver were out of sight, and Merric slowly rose to his feet, looking dazed, dripping wet.

Raoul clapped Kel on the back as Dom and Cleon scuttled down to the ground, whooping in celebration. Dom wrapped an arm around Kel's waist, kissing her cheek before leading them back to the garden, where Owen and Seaver, soaked and shivering, waited for them.

"W-w-we're heading i-in," Owen chattered, turning back to the palace without waiting for a reply. Seaver and Merric hurried after him.

"W-wimps," Neal crossed his arms, lifting his head in an attempt to appear dignified. "_We_ were trying to use our heads, since w-we've got more than brawn."

"Good thing we had both heads and brawn!" Clean nudged Dom; both were laughing.

Neal muttered something about 'stacked teams' under his breath.

"Go on, Meathead," Dom rolled his eyes, giving his cousin a small push. "Uncle Baird will be after me if you get sick."

Neal turned on his heel and followed after his teammates. Dom turned back to Kel; wrapping his arms around her and closing his eyes, he bent down to kiss her.

She pulled back, feeling a blush creep to her cheeks. "Dom, not _here_…" she looked around at Cleon and Raoul, forcing herself to meet their eyes. She was _not_ some bashful court lady. However, she was still relieved when she saw Raoul wink at Dom and drag Cleon away by the elbow, asking about the squire's recent time in the north.

Dom held her hand as they followed everyone, heading back to the palace. Glancing up at the sky, Kel was surprised to see that it was almost midday, although her stomach attested. She was about to suggest going to eat, when Dom interrupted her thoughts.

"You know, Raoul was impressed by you," Dom said quietly.

Startled, Kel stopped and turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, don't say anything," he paused dramatically, "but he's looking for a squire to help, with the Grand Progress coming up. You noticed that forest as a threat before _he_ did."

"Dom, it was a _snowball fight_. As much as you like to exaggerate its importance…"

"I'm just saying…" His blue eyes were twinkling as he grinned at her.

"Dom, don't you _dare_ recommend me. I don't need unfair advantages." Her words sounded brave, although she was dreading the time her big examinations would be over. The knot in her stomach formed whenever she thought about potential knight-masters. Who would want the _Girl_? And Raoul was a _hero_. If she couldn't have the Lioness… Raoul _would_ be her next choice. But she couldn't help but wonder if any knight would ask her at all.

"He's been interested in you since we all saw you stay on your monster that day you were tilting," Dom looked hurt as he squeezed her hand. "He trusts my judgment… I wouldn't give him false recommendations based on personal connections; I think you're the best. You could help him with the Yamani culture and language, you've a cool head, which you showed with the bandits and spidrens… you've earned the respect of your peers and trainers. I will absolutely recommend you."

Kel glanced up to the palace door as Raoul and Cleon disappeared into the building. "Well, he's a smart man," Kel replied, watching the door close behind them. "He can figure all that out on his own."

"He already-" Dom was interrupted by loud cries coming from inside. Startled, Kel and Dom rushed to the door, pulling it open.

"Kel! Watch-" Cleon tried to warn her, but it was too late. A heavy splash of mushy snow landed over her and Dom, causing her breath to catch as she shivered violently.

"There!" Owen cried triumphantly. Kel looked up to find Neal, Owen, Merric, and Seaver standing above them, hanging over a railing on an indoor balcony. Dom made a rude gesture as Kel looked to see Raoul and Cleon also shivering and dripping with half-melted snow.

"Fight's over, _Meatheads_," Dom called up. "We won!"

"No way!" Merric argued, leaning over the railing. "Two members of the Own, a squire, and Kel? Against four pages? Stacked teams! I wasn't losing again to injustice!" He high-fived Seaver as Neal and Owen started arguing the fairness of the first match. Raoul and Cleon left for their rooms, bitter and uncomfortably cold.

"But they _surrendered_," Dom muttered.

Pulling his arm, Kel shook her head. "Let it go," she sighed. "How about we go get out of these clothes." She crossed her arms in attempt to slow her violent shaking.

Since Kel was still wearing his tunic, Dom only had a thin cotton shirt atop his breeches and boots. "Well now, I'm not about to say no to that." Dom turned to her, pulling off his shirt and tossing it on the floor with a soppy 'plop'. She ogled his bare chest until his fingers lifted her chin.

"I, um, didn't mean _here_," she finally choked.

Dom nodded in agreement. "My room is much better." He grabbed her elbow and tugged her towards the Own's wing.

"But I don't have any clothes there," she protested, although she followed him anyway. She really was getting hungry… maybe Dom had some snacks in his room. She couldn't go into the mess like this. She almost laughed when she pictured Wyldon's expression if she were to enter their dining area dripping water.

"What do you need clothes for?" Dom turned back to face her, eyes twinkling mischievously. His pace quickened.

She walked faster to keep up, glancing around to make sure they were alone as Dom unlocked his door. "I'll need to hang my clothes up, they'll take a _long time_ to dry, Dom."

He pulled her in his room, locking the door. "Well then," he grinned. "We'll just have to take our time, won't we?"

* * *

Well, that's it! The last chapter; the final installment. It's longer than the other ones. :) I'd love to hear what you all thought!

Here are some review replies!:

**Inthefire – **well, well, well. I know that you _are_ secretly writing K/D and you are just refusing to post them for spite. LOL having you almost write K/D… that's probably the biggest complement I could ever hope for! And no, there were no 'interesting twists' as you call them, and by that you mean heart-stopping, horrifying, twists that will make Dom-lovers everywhere (including myself) want to hunt me down. _And_ there is _more_ to K/D than being alone, as they are a perfect match: they are friends, comrades, lovers, and soul mates. (And I am enjoying being able to underline and _italicize_ my words lol.) But I stuck in a little K/D at the end, just for you.

**peddyviolin – **Thank you so much! I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far! Hopefully this chapter wasn't disappointing; I know it's taken me kind of a long time to update. *sighs*

**MissJuliaMiriam – **I'm so happy you liked my TKO chapter! *blushes* I wrote it just for you! And I _hope_ this is a good way to wrap up this story. It's not very long, with 11 chapters, but it seems like it's taking forever to finish because I kept thinking it was done, and then I kept adding more to it.

**Brandi Heir –** I always love your replies too! (I think I might be slightly obsessed with seeing my name emboldened…) And I did take my time… sort of. I think I got to it like an hour later lol. And by 'awkward places' you may or may not mean from the first word to the last period… :p I'm glad you love the idea of a rematch! It was so hard to write, since it was 34 degrees here today (ummm, you're in the USA… so that's around 93 degrees using your scale… and yes I went online to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit haha) so it was _extremely_ hard to be motivated to write a snowball fight. And I debated between using Raoul and Wolset as Dom's guest… and until I was actually writing, I still didn't know who it should be. I ended up with Raoul only because I find it easier to write his character. URG! Hopefully I made the right choice!


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